'Failed' preservation projects

[Fenway Park]

Another failed scheme in South Wales was the Vale of Neath which hoped to run over the freight line to Aberpergwm with the reinstatement of the Aluminium Works branch at Resolven.

There was a small collection in a derelict car park in Cadoxton for some time.

It failed as the freight traffic continued when it was expected to end. I think they also joined the Gwili?

 

What happened to the Pontycymmer scheme?

[Horsetan]

While we are still talking about Irish preservation schemes, what happened to the Foyle Valley Railway? They seemed to have mde quite a bit of progress in the early 1990s judging by reports in the railway press, but it's all gone quiet.

The local council fell out with the NWIRS and shut down the line and the museum. Didn't stop the council running the railcar (NWIRS property) for a private jaunt....

[pete_mcfarlane]

The local council fell out with the NWIRS and shut down the line and the museum. Didn't stop the council running the railcar (NWIRS property) for a private jaunt....

That's a shame, it looked like a good little railway. I did a quick google, and oddly the loudest voices calling for it's reopening come from Sinn Fein.....

[Jawfin]

 Other failures may yet include the recreated T&D, and - though I'd be gutted if it became so - the County Donegal project. Funding is so very hard to obtain.

Yes, Westrail was indeed fantastic.The charred remains of Its shunting loco (I believe it was Ruston) was scrapped only in 2005 I think.

There, unfortunatly, probably won't be any more standard gauge lines in the future in Ireland, because just owning a single locomotive has become a major problem.

Pretty much all the locos are owned by the RPSI (all of which out of service, apart from 186 and 461, the ITG, and the DCDR. There also appears to be a place in Mayo with quite a lot of static stuff, including a static A class.

There's some County Donegal Narrow Gauge place with No. 5 Drumboe, a railcar/shunting thing owned by the narrow-gauge equivelant of the ITG, and a garden shed - sorry, I mean a, "Railway Centre." They were thinking ahead when they asked the RPSI to fully overhaul Drumboe, as they don't appear to have any track!

[LaGrange]

There also appears to be a place in Mayo with quite a lot of static stuff, including a static A class.

There's some County Donegal Narrow Gauge place with No. 5 Drumboe, a railcar/shunting thing owned by the narrow-gauge equivelant of the ITG, and a garden shed - sorry, I mean a, "Railway Centre." They were thinking ahead when they asked the RPSI to fully overhaul Drumboe, as they don't appear to have any track!

 

The place in Mayo, I guess you are referring to Hells Kitchen pub in Castlerea, Co Roscommon which is a large privately owned railway museum, of which the biggest exhibit is A55 http://www.hellskitchenmuseum.com/index.htm

 

 

The Donegal project (not sure of their official name) are moving along as funding appears, which is why the work on Drumboe is in stops and starts

[Jawfin]

The place in Mayo, I guess you are referring to Hells Kitchen pub in Castlerea, Co Roscommon which is a large privately owned railway museum, of which the biggest exhibit is A55 http://www.hellskitchenmuseum.com/index.htm[y/quote]

Aha, I've got that place in Mayo and Moyasta mixed up. West Claire Railway, I think you call it. I've heard that a proper museum is to be built there, and some of the ITGs stuff (not including A15, as the WCR own it themselves) are stored out in the open. They only operate in narrow gauge, though.

It has an operational (?) narrow steam loco and a pair of operating (?) narrow diesels.

I've never heard anything about it apart from the storage of the ITGs locos, and never seen any videos. Surely if it is as successful as Wikipedia makes it to be (3.1 miles of track 3ft and many locos) it would be more famous?

[LaGrange]

Aha, I've got that place in Mayo and Moyasta mixed up. West Claire Railway, I think you call it. I've heard that a proper museum is to be built there, and some of the ITGs stuff (not including A15, as the WCR own it themselves) are stored out in the open. They only operate in narrow gauge, though.

It has an operational (?) narrow steam loco and a pair of operating (?) narrow diesels.

I've never heard anything about it apart from the storage of the ITGs locos, and never seen any videos. Surely if it is as successful as Wikipedia makes it to be (3.1 miles of track and many locos) it would be more famous?

 

It is the West Clare Railway at Moyasta, but Ive not paid much attention to it, there is a 3ft gauge running line but all of the ITG locos there are stored under heavy tarpaulins. The eventual plan is to build a museum there.

[Jawfin]

It is the West Clare Railway at Moyasta, but Ive not paid much attention to it, there is a 3ft gauge running line but all of the ITG locos there are stored under heavy tarpaulins. The eventual plan is to build a museum there.

Will the museum house all the ITG locos? It would be a shame if the 121 was to be used only for static display.

[Chris116]

The original Mid Hants Railway project would have included the line between Winchester Junction and Alresford through the now demolished Itchen Abbas station. Neither Itchen Abbas or Winchester Juction would have added much in the way of potential traffic and getting into Winchester station would have been impossible so not surprising the line was only saved between Alton and Alresford.

[RJS1977]

On the other hand, I bet there are times Network Rail/SWT wish the complete route was still there for diversionary purposes!

[phil-b259]

On the other hand, I bet there are times Network Rail/SWT wish the complete route was still there for diversionary purposes!

 

I doubt it. Ever since NSE finished the 'Solent link' electrification in the late 80s there has always been the option of going via Fareham for London - Southampton traffic and for diesel stuff (and in NSE days the option to drag 442s) the route via Salisbury is always possible.

 

That said I expect Alresford might have produced a reasonable amount of traffic for both London (commuters) and Winchester (students + shoppers) if it had survived.

[South of 1E]

From memory, in the mid 70's there was a small collection of static? steam locos at Bleadon and Uphill station on the main line South of Weston Super Mare, believe long gone

 

NR

 

www.leightonlogs.org

[Andy Kirkham]

From memory, in the mid 70's there was a small collection of static? steam locos at Bleadon and Uphill station on the main line South of Weston Super Mare, believe long gone

 

NR

 

www.leightonlogs.org

Known as the Yieldingtree Railway Museum. http://www.flickr.com/photos/phil-seaford/8219301216/

[Jenny Emily]

I seem to recall some time in the 1980s there being a small museum on a small remaining section of the dock line at Swansea. My memory is of a long brick built shed with one line inside and one line running parallel outside. These joined at a point and then ran as far as a short headshunt. It wasn't connected to any other rail lines. Inside the museum there were a collection of bits and pieces, along with lots of models of ships. Outside I always remember a green painted tank locomotive coupled to a grey 16 ton mineral wagon. I used to get to play in its cab, though later on this was boarded up.

 

The link below appears to be the same building that I remember, though traces of the rail lines seem to be little more than a decorative feature.

 

http://goo.gl/maps/Ydob2

[Fat Controller]

I seem to recall some time in the 1980s there being a small museum on a small remaining section of the dock line at Swansea. My memory is of a long brick built shed with one line inside and one line running parallel outside. These joined at a point and then ran as far as a short headshunt. It wasn't connected to any other rail lines. Inside the museum there were a collection of bits and pieces, along with lots of models of ships. Outside I always remember a green painted tank locomotive coupled to a grey 16 ton mineral wagon. I used to get to play in its cab, though later on this was boarded up.

 

The link below appears to be the same building that I remember, though traces of the rail lines seem to be little more than a decorative feature.

 

http://goo.gl/maps/Ydob2

To give you some idea how the area's changed, this photo was linked to another thread:-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/taffytank/5957134943/

The building marked 'Weaver's House' is on the sight of the flour mill in the background of the photo.

What I find curious in the photo are what look like the traces of old track, including a rather odd single slip, in some of the grassed areas- anyone local know what these might be?

[Dunsignalling]

Reopening Axminster to Lyme Regis - first mooted in 2002, newspaper article from 2006 http://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/990827.bluebell_line_back_on_track/ but no progress that I can otherwise locate.

 

According to that article it should have opened in 2011...

Contrary to what it said in the press item, I think it was going to be 15" or 18" narrow gauge which would have probably struggled to handle a viable payload on the gradients involved.

 

Believed to have fizzled out; route now obstructed by Axminster by-pass and former embankment grubbed out to make room for housing development at Abbey Gate. Original line of route now appears to pass through somebody's back bedroom! 

 

John

[LaGrange]

Will the museum house all the ITG locos? It would be a shame if the 121 was to be used only for static display.

 

I dont know, maybe ask the ITG http://www.irishtractiongroup.com/faq.htm

[pendlerail]

I remember (although i can't remember a date  ) I went to a meeting of a Proposed Colne to Skipton Preservation group, I left unimpressed when they said that they would start at Foulridge (a small village on narrow roads) and bring all the stock in by wagon!!  as at the time the trackbed had been blocked by a sports centre and a bypass at the Colne end, an industrial estate at Earby and a missing Bridge, Bypass and the Line from Skipton to Helifield at the other.

Now that other bridges and trackbed parts have been reused, What used to be called STELLA now want to open it as a fully electrified part of the National network

[298]

Well most likely the first failed one in the world was the Lynton & Barnstaple railway in 1935 

 

Or the Broad Gauge Preservation Group at Swindon Works. Some new hotshot designer turns up, asks what that old relic is doing taking up space, and promptly has it cut.

[flyingsignalman]

In the North West, the Hooton to West Kirby line was the subject of an early preservation attempt after it closed to goods in 1962. BR realised the value of some of its station sites and promptly doubled the asking price for the line....... end of preservation attempt.

 

The Prestatyn to Dyserth line was also looked at by the North Clwyd Railway Association but BR lifted the line and their stock went ot the Llangollen Railway for a while and was then dispersed; I saw some items at the Myddle Wood Railway in Shropshire.

 

The Dee Marsh to Mickle Trafford line was also a target for preservation but it became a footpath/cycle route.

 

A couple of NCRA items of rolling stock at Llangollen Ca 1980/1.

[JaymzHatstand]

The 'Robin Hoods's Bay Railway' project which was proposed to re-lay part of the Whitby-Scarborough line, using narrow gauge track and stock. Consturction never began, but locos were imported from South Africa, most (if not all) of which have now found their way to the Welsh Highland Railway

 

Cheers

 

J

[Billystanier]

Potentially.....

 

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/closure-threat-museum-science-industry-4045651

 

 

An earlier draft of this article (since removed) also mentioned that NRM York was under threat too.

[pete_mcfarlane]

Potentially.....

 

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/closure-threat-museum-science-industry-4045651

 

 

An earlier draft of this article (since removed) also mentioned that NRM York was under threat too.

There doesn't appear to be any actual information in that article, just some vague speculation followed by reaction to the speculation. Being a local newspaper they'll probably start a campaign to save the museum from closure, and then claim success when it doesn't close.

[Andy G]

There doesn't appear to be any actual information in that article, just some vague speculation followed by reaction to the speculation. Being a local newspaper they'll probably start a campaign to save the museum from closure, and then claim success when it doesn't close.

If you read this version http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/manchesters-museum-science-industry-faces-4044896

 the MEN seems to be working from a statement from the Science Museum Group, so I would say that there actually is information and it isn't just speculation.  This version also contains references to the NRM and the museum in Bradford.  The local councilors/MPs also don't seem to be quite as relaxed about it either.   

Hopefully it is just a local news paper trying to big itself up, or the Science Museum Group trying to get more money by causing a public outcry.

[Gareth Collier]

Coming in late to this thread I'd suggest the Lavender Line in East Sussex. It is just up the road from me so I've been many times but they've ground to a halt. The line is about a mile running from Isfield station to the middle of a field, most of which was washed away in the late 90's by floods but thankfully now repaired. It is in the middle of the line between Uckfield and Lewes but it has never extended in either direction. There is now a serious campaign growing including councils/Network Rail for the line to reopen properly to create another route to London so the preserved line could end up be compulsory purchased!

Gareth